


Hard Way Home

by nickelkeep



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Background Castiel/Dean Winchester - Freeform, Canon Fix-It, Established Gabriel/Sam Winchester, Gabriel (Supernatural) Lives, Gabriel Loves Sam Winchester, Gabriel in the Men of Letters Bunker (Supernatural), Gabriel is Back From the Empty, M/M, Sabriel Week 2019
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-03
Updated: 2019-07-03
Packaged: 2020-06-03 02:23:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,097
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19454380
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nickelkeep/pseuds/nickelkeep
Summary: Gabriel has finally found his way back to the bunker after escaping the Empty. But will he be welcomed with open arms?





	Hard Way Home

**Author's Note:**

> This is my contribution for Sabriel Week, Day 3: Canon Fix-It. Clearly, the biggest Fix-it? Bring Gabe back.
> 
> ...  
> You can find me on [Tumblr](https://nickelkeep.tumblr.com/) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/nickelwrites).

Gabriel finally found it. It had taken him a while, having been practically huddled in fear against Sam the first time he was brought here. The wardings were stronger, were better, were updated, purposely to keep the bunker hidden from Archangels, and probably to keep them out.

He slowly meandered up to the door, trying to figure out what he could say - if there were anything he could say - to be allowed inside. Dean would probably throw a punch then ask questions later. Castiel would bombard him with a million questions. Sam would… Gabriel stopped and swallowed. What would Sam do?

It would probably be too much to ask for the younger Winchester to even look at him. Why did he come here again? Gabriel has been able to keep himself hidden for millennia. He’d been Loki’s doppelganger, and with Loki gone, he could be the Loki.

But that wouldn’t be right. It won’t be right unless Gabriel could see them - Sam - one more time. He’s fought his past before; he’s stood up against his brothers. Now he needed to face his family - if he’s even allowed to call them that.

Gabriel stopped at the door, feeling the sigil, tracing it in his mind’s eye. Sam etched it onto the door. He could feel grief associated with the sigil, but he wasn't sure why. Gabriel debated for a moment. He could knock, and play Russian Roulette and see who answered the door, or he could do the sure thing.

“Castiel,” he whispered, “please come to the door, and don’t tell them I’m here. You can call me a coward to my face, but please don’t let them know. Not yet.”

“You don’t want Sam to know you’re here?”

The shorter angel whipped around and came face to face with not Castiel, but Jack. “Where’s Cas?”

“He’s with Dean, on a hunt. Sam and I are here, so Cas sent me to come to get you.” Jack’s head tilted in confusion; a trait picked up from the Seraph. “Do you not want to see Sam?”

“Of course I do, Kiddo. The question is whether or not he wants to see me. If any of you want to see me."

Jack smiled. “I must admit, I don’t know you very well, but from what Cas and Sam have told me, I would probably get along with you very well. I apparently like nougat almost as much as you do. So yes, I would like to see you.” Jack looked towards the door. “I know Sam misses you. He won’t tell anyone. But when he sees Cas and Dean together, he gets…” The young Nephilim bit his bottom lip. “I don’t think jealous is the word. It’s more like he’s feeling empty, and that he wishes he was whole again.”

“Would it hurt him if he saw me?”

“No!” Jack’s eyes lit up like fireworks on the Fourth of July. “If anything, I think that would heal him. You should come in. I can ask Cas how to fix the warding to let you pass!” With a ruffle of wings, Jack was gone.

Gabriel put his hand back on the door, and after a few moments, felt the warding that was keeping him out fade away. The lock disengaged, and the door swung open, granting him access to the bunker. “Thank you, Cas.” He prayed silently, giving his brother thanks for allowing him access.

“Do you want me to tell him you’re here?” Jack closed the hatch quietly, securing it back in place.

“I’ve got this, Kiddo.” Gabriel placed his hand on Jack’s shoulder. “We’ll catch up later, and I’ll set you straight about me, ok?”

“I would like that.” Jack looked at Gabriel’s hand and back before smiling. “Sam’s in the library. He’s helping Dean and Cas with their hunt, as well as a couple of other hunters who are out. Do you know where it is?”

Gabriel started walking down the stairs. “I’m pretty sure I remember. I’ll shout if I need help.” As he got to the bottom of the steps and cut through the War Room, he took a deep breath. He slowed down his pace as he got closer to the Library, quieting his footsteps.

“Dean, look, based off of what you and Cas have found it’s another pair of shifters. Maybe a pack. No. Well, you didn’t say that part before. Ok, then I’ll keep looking. Try silver. Jerk.” A thud on the table let Gabriel know that Sam tossed his phone on the table. He silently slid into the room and leaned against the doorway.

Sam sat a table, hunched over several books as usual, with his laptop open. It was a sight familiar to Gabriel, and one that made his heart beat faster with joy. He was a fool to think that he could have run away, to be able to stay away from the man sitting at the table.

“Hey Jack, did you…” Sam looked up at the doorway and froze.

“Hey there, Samshine.”

Sam closed his eyes and rubbed them before opening them up and looking at the Archangel again. He stood up hesitantly, as though Gabriel would disappear. “Am I dreaming? Did I fall asleep again?”

“Dream of me often, Sammy?”

“Every night since I lost you.” Sam took a couple of steps forward. “But you don’t normally converse with me. It’s me failing you, over and over again.”

Gabriel stood up straight and closed the distance between them. “You think you failed me, Sam?” He waited until the younger Winchester nodded in confirmation. “You did no such thing. I promised I would keep you safe, no matter what, and I made sure you got through the portal. There was just a hiccough.”

“You died! That’s more than a hiccough!” Tears were falling freely down Sam’s face. “Why can’t I wake up?”

“Cause this isn’t a dream, Sam. I’m real. I’m alive. I’m here.” Gabriel reached up and cupped Sam’s cheek, wiping away the tears with his thumb. “Cas got the Empty all up in a hissy fit. There’s no organization there. Hell, I never went to sleep properly. I just had to bide my time. Plus you guys have this place locked down like Fort Knox. Just took me a little longer to find my way to you.”

Sam gently ran his hands down Gabriel’s arms, almost as though he was proving to himself that the angel in front of him was real. “You’re here.”

Gabriel gently pulled Sam down into a soft kiss. “Yeah, Sam. I’m here.”


End file.
